Echoes of the Butterfly
by FenixOfTheDark
Summary: [AU] Naminé wasn't alone when she woke in Castle Oblivion, nor was the Org the first to find her. This changes Everything.


**Notes:** It should be said that this is more a snapshot of a larger AU, and as such, some things simply won't be explained.

* * *

White stone and blinding alabaster walls. A giant white urn held snow white flowers that were impossible to distinguish between real or fake. Silent and still, the room was pristinely clean, even though it wasn't used by the occupants of the castle.

A gasp broke the silence as bright blue-violet eyes snapped open to a fear that seemed a dark cloak, but it offered no warmth against the chilly air. Nor did the white dress and sandals. In fact, there was no pulse, no warmth at all in the cold body. Yet, that wasn't important, nor as distressing as much as the blinding whites around them were. They – _she_ – shielded her eyes as she pushed her small frame from the floor. Just enough to sit up; she didn't think she could stand, and while the fear was receding, it still felt heavy and all too real.

So, she didn't try and stand, and glancing around brought only confusion and no answers to the pressing questions that circled the mind. _Where am I? This isn't-_

 _Who am I?_

The echo of a name came to mind as she sat there.

 _Kairi?_ It seemed right, yet… _no_. It belonged to another, didn't it? A girl with short, bright-red hair. _Sora_ was her friend... wasn't he?

 _ **Who**_ _am I?_ The question came again, stronger this time, and the nameless girl curled up as she started to wake fully. It was an effort to ignore the gnawing loneliness and burning need to know who she was, but she managed it. She had all the time in the world, didn't she?

\- - -

"Uh – I thought – who are you?" Someone asked, jerking the girl from her rest. Looking up, she saw another blonde. He looked older than her, but still a teenager, and there was _something_ about him. Something she knew.

"I- S-sorry, but... I don't have a name to give." _Kairi_... she could use that, but it _wasn't_ hers to give.

"Oh. I'm Ventus, but call me Ven," Ventus - _Ven_ \- said, confusion etched across his face. The thought that he couldn't be more than sixteen crossed her mind as she blinked. "What do you mean you don't have a name?"

"I... I don't. Sorry."

"Aww, don't be. I can help you think of one," he said, offering her a hand.

"Oh..." She took the hand, allowing him to help her up. He was taller than her, but not by much. Maybe half a head. "I.." Waves? No, that didn't feel right, neither did anything else. "...What if I can't think of one?"

"I... I don't know." Ven said with a frown. "Aqua and Master Eraqus would know, but – they're not here right now."

Somehow, the words seemed to hold the weight of loneliness. "Oh... Do you... live here?"

"Y-Yea, I do." Ven's smile was forced.

She stiffened at the smile. _No_... he shouldn't be smiling like that. It was wrong. So very _wrong_. This person was vaguely familiar. Not the face, but... the hidden Light beyond the scars. So similar to – to Kairi's Light, the nameless girl realised with a gasp. The Light was hidden behind old scars that made her ache, even as she reached out, only to withdraw again. No. She shouldn't touch this Light. "Oh."

"It's not that bad though," Ven said with a shrug. "Aqua and Master Eraqus live here too, so it's not that lonely. But lately..."

"Lately... what?"

"Something's disturbing the peace," he said with a shudder.

"Oh..." That seemed bad. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," he shook his head with a rueful smile. "They won't tell me, and I – I don't blame them," he murmured, hand rubbing his chest. "I – I won't be much help."

Her head tilted to the side, blonde hair falling into her eyes as she studied him. The girl felt ache ping through her, as if she knew what he meant. Impossible, but... she couldn't discount it, not when she didn't even know who she was. "I'm sorry to hear that."

 _Sorrow_? Did she even know what that was?

"Thanks. Uh ...I can show you the kitchens. There's lots of food there, if you want it."

"I'd like that, Ven," she said with a warm smile, allowing the Light to lead her. If she was honest with herself, food sounded _wonderful_ right about now.

It didn't even matter that it was a tub of ice cream, and they ate in silence for a while, each lost to their thoughts.

"I..." the girl started once she'd finished the tub of ice cream, "I think I know a name, Ven."

"Really?"

"Mmmh," she nodded with a warm smile. "N...Nami."

"Nami..." Ventus said. "It sounds a bit too short."

Her head tilted to the side. "What dod you mean?"

"What about... Naminé?"he tried before smiling. "Unless Nami is what you want."

"Naminé..." She sounded it out, and where Nami had felt right, _Naminé_ seemed to click into place like it'd always _belonged_. "No, I like it, Ven. Thank you."

"For what?"

She laughed at the confused look on his face. It was so like Sora. "For helping me find my name, of course. Um... Do you have any more ice cream left?"

"Aww, it's no trouble," he said with a slight grin before he got up. "Yea, I'll get us some more. Do you want the same, or?"

"I'd like to try it all."

 **\- - -**

"They're going to return. Those were only scouts."

"Mmmh?" Eraqus turned to face the ghost walker.

"Now they know it's here, it's not safe."

"Perhaps. We locked the world..."

"Against the heartless," She looked away, hand resting against her chest. "Not against those like _me_."

"Lack of Heart or no, you are as different from them as they are you, Aqua."

"I know," she said with a sigh and small smile. None of Them commanded the ghost-element. "If Master Hayate were still here-"

"Regretfully, she is not." The elderly Master had passed almost a decade ago. "We must stand guard against the forces of Darkness, whatever shape they take."

"It's part of our duties. I may not have a keyblade anymore, but..." Her hands tightened around the pole of _Fallen Wave_ , the naginata's blade gleaming in the strange dusk that seemed to coat the world. "I am still a Master, and I have a duty to protect this world against the Darkness."


End file.
